Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic "chords" at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach's Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Michael Hedges was discovered by William Ackerman who heard him performing in a Palo Alto cafe (the former Varsity Theater) and immediately signed him to a recording contract (1980). For several years Hedges toured and performed in concert with Ackerman. He also appeared on several of Ackerman's albums. In turn William Ackerman produced Hedge's first two albums.
The first two records Michael Hedges made - Breakfast in the Field and Aerial Boundaries - were milestones for the acoustic guitar. He then branched out into singing and performing more popular forms of music, although he would periodically make a return to more guitar-centred music. His record Oracle won the 1998 Grammy for Best New Age Album. Hedges was in fact quite a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, percussion, tin whistle, harmonica, and flute, among others on his albums. Bassist Michael Manring contributed to many of Michael's records.
Many acoustic guitarists claim a very broad range of influences and will not fit into any genre, but this was truer of Hedges than of any other. His musical education was largely in modern 20th century composition. He listened to Leo Kottke, Bruce Cockburn, Martin Carthy, John Martyn, John Fahey, and the Beatles, but his approach to composition owed much to Stravinsky, Varèse, Webern, and experimental composers such as Morton Feldman. He saw himself as a composer who played guitar, rather than a guitarist who composed music. He was often categorized as New Age due to his association with the Windham Hill record label. Somewhat in reaction to this, he would describe his music as "Heavy Mental", "New Edge", ""Thrash Acoustic", "Deep Tissue Gladiator Guitar" or "Savage Myth Guitar," amongst other terms.
Hedges was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 43. His unfinished last recordings were brought to completion in the album Torched, with the help of his friends David Crosby and Graham Nash.
Holiday
Michael Hedges Lyrics
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Get away from it all
No solution seems to last
It's a holiday
Wear a smile
Put on a celebration mask
Take off
Leave a trail
It's a holiday
But if the fuses get too short they won't ask why
They won't ask why
If you hover above your enemies
And you're ready to send your aluminum boxes down
It's a holiday
Send the soldiers on a one-way weekend pass
There's a field of blue in my memory
But the stars reform and the stripes begin to fade
For the holiday
When the world turns Independence Day at last
At last
My country 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty
Of thee I sing
Land where my fathers' died
Land of the pilgrims' pride
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring
Let freedom ring
Let it ring
Let it ring
The song "Holiday" by Michael Hedges is a contemplative and thought-provoking piece about taking a break from the stresses of life. Hedges urges the listener to relax and get away from it all, bringing the focus back to simple pleasures like wearing a smile and celebrating life. The imagery of letting children wave sparklers to the sky and enjoying a one-way weekend pass for soldiers shows the importance of taking time to rest and rejuvenate ourselves.
The lyrics also touch upon the darker side of holidays, where tensions may rise and people may lose their temper. Despite this, Hedges encourages people to let go of their worries and enjoy the experience, even if things don't go according to plan. The final stanza of the song includes part of the American national anthem, "My country 'tis of thee," reminding the listener of the importance of freedom and liberty, and how it should ring out across every mountainside.
Overall, "Holiday" is a reminder to take a step back from our busy lives and enjoy the little things, while also recognizing the importance of freedom and independence.
Line by Line Meaning
Relax
Take a deep breath and let go of all your worries and anxieties.
Get away from it all
Escape from your normal routine and go somewhere to clear your mind.
No solution seems to last
Temporary fixes don't seem to have lasting benefits.
It's a holiday
Take a break from reality.
Wear a smile
Be happy for the moment.
Put on a celebration mask
Celebrate in a way that is expected by society.
Take off
Leave behind any burden that is holding you down.
Leave a trail
Live your life and create your own story.
Let the children wave their sparklers to the sky
Let young people enjoy their carefree life since they might not get to later.
It's a holiday
Keep living your life despite the difficulties.
But if the fuses get too short they won't ask why
Young people won't consider the risk they're taking.
They won't ask why
They will simply enjoy the moment without over-analyzing the consequences.
If you hover above your enemies
If you are in a position of power or control.
And you're ready to send your aluminum boxes down
And you're ready to use your weapons to start a war.
Send the soldiers on a one-way weekend pass
Send soldiers out to fight, knowing that there may be no return.
There's a field of blue in my memory
The artist has a memory of the blue flag (national flag) waving high.
But the stars reform and the stripes begin to fade
The flag is still there, but it is slowly losing its grandeur and integrity.
For the holiday
Despite the battles and the chaos, the world is still celebrating.
When the world turns Independence Day at last
When the world can finally achieve independence from the things that chain it down, it will be like Independence Day.
My country 'tis of thee
The artist addresses the country, the land of the free.
Sweet land of liberty
It is a sweet thing to be free and independent.
Of thee I sing
The artist sings praises of the country.
Land where my fathers' died
The country where the singer's ancestors fought and died for independence.
Land of the pilgrims' pride
The country where the pilgrims came to find religious freedom and tolerance.
From every mountainside
From every part of the country.
Let freedom ring
The singer wants the whole country to celebrate freedom and independence.
Let it ring
Call everyone to celebrate the joy of being free and independent.
Writer(s): Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank Wright, Michael Pritchard
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.